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abogado

ah-boh-GAH-doha.βoˈɣa.ðo

“abogado” means “lawyer” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

lawyer, attorney

Also: barrister, solicitor
NounmA2
A person wearing a formal suit standing near a desk, holding the balanced scales of justice.

📝 In Action

Mi hermano es abogado y trabaja en un bufete grande.

A2

My brother is a lawyer and works at a big firm.

Necesito contratar a un buen abogado para mi caso.

B1

I need to hire a good lawyer for my case.

El abogado defensor presentó nuevas pruebas en el juicio.

B2

The defense attorney presented new evidence at the trial.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • letrado (counsel, jurist)
  • jurista (jurist)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • abogado defensor – defense attorney
  • bufete de abogados – law firm
  • abogado del estado – state attorney

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser el abogado del diablo – To argue against something just for the sake of debate, not because you actually believe it.

advocate

Also: defender, proponent
NounmB2formal
A cheerful person standing on a box, raising a fist enthusiastically to show strong support for a cause.

📝 In Action

Él es un gran abogado de los derechos de los animales.

B2

He is a great advocate for animal rights.

Se convirtió en el abogado de los más desfavorecidos.

C1

He became the defender of the most disadvantaged.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • abogado de una causa – advocate of a cause

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: abogado

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'abogado' in its more figurative sense, meaning 'advocate' or 'supporter'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
abogada(female lawyer) — Noun
abogacía(legal profession) — Noun
abogar(to advocate, to plead) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'advocātus', which means 'one called to aid'. It's formed from 'ad-' (to, towards) and 'vocāre' (to call), so it literally meant someone you 'call to' for help.

First recorded: Around the 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: advocateFrench: avocatItalian: avvocato

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'abogado' and 'licenciado'?

While 'abogado' specifically means lawyer, 'licenciado' is a general title for anyone with a university degree. However, in many Latin American countries, it's a very common and respectful way to address a lawyer, similar to using 'Esquire' in English.

If 'abogado' is for a man, how do I talk about a female lawyer?

You use the feminine form, 'abogada'. Spanish often changes the ending of nouns for professions to match the gender of the person.